Inflating device for safety belts and the like



F. MARKUS Aug. 12, 1930.

INFLATING DEVICE FOR SAFETY BELTS AND THE LIKE Filed Jim@ 1'9, 1929 nPatented Aug. 12, 1930 UNITED 'STATES PETER MARKUS, OF KANSAS CITY,MISSOURI INFLATING DEVICE FOB SAFETY BELTS AND THE LIE Application ledJune 19,

This invention relates to infiating devices for safety belts, vests',coats, bathln suits and the like, and more especially to cgievices ofthat class involving the employment of compressed Huid cartridges andmeans to puncture them at the proper time for transforming objects intobuoyant bodies for safely sustaining persons in water.

Consideration of the subject of safety devices of the class mentionedindicates that it is desirable to make provision for initiating theinflation operation by a tug or pull, and it has also been founddesirable with a device operated by applying a tug or pull to minimizethe chance of such action occurring accidentally. It has furthermorebeen found that in a device of the type under consideration, it is verydesirable that the part on which the pull or tug is applied shall bear aAswivelled relationship to the part which carries it, in fact where thedevice upon which force is exerted is in the form of a lever, it is verydesirable that the lever shall be swivelled so that its handle end shallbe positioned read ily to be fastened against accidental operation.

It is the object of the invention therefore to provide a simple,efiicient. durable, and economical infiating device which possesses thefeatures setforth as desirable. and hereinafter described and claimed;and in orderthat it may be fully understood, reference is to be had tothe accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary section of an inflatable body equipped with aninflating device embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a. pla'n view of the construction illustrated by Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detail perspective of a lever for operatingr the device.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary section disclosing a modified form of theoutermember of the container.

Referring to the drawing in detail, 1 indicates an inflatable body to beworn in deflated 1929. Serial No. 372,164.

condition normally, by one when swimming,- bathing or boating. In itspreferred form the device is in the form of a vest, but as the type ofthe body is unimportant, no particular form of it has been illustrated,though in any case it will have an opening such as 2, and the openingpreferably will be enclosed f by a cylindrical flange 3, the flangebeing shown as depending into the body 1.

A tubular cartridge container member 4 of aluminum or equivalent metal,is fitted in the opening 2 with an air-tight relation. This connectionmust not only be air-tight but hold the container againstmovementrelative to the body 1. One way of making a substantial connection is toprovide the container member with exterior annular grooves, so that theflexible flange?, may be forced by a suitable wrapping cord or wire 5into said grooves, and thus insure against slippage of the container andprevent any chance of a leakage of air from the body portion wheninflated.

The inner end of the container member is provided'with a perforated plug6 equipped with a puncturing pin 7, and exterior to the body 1, thecontainer is preferably enlarged diametrically and formed with acircular groove 8 wherein fits a compressible gasket 9. The wall inwardof the groove and indicated at 10, preferably projects a substantialdistance beyond the outer wall and is externally threaded.

An outer or cap member 11 of the container, of cylindrical form, has athreaded internal bore 12 engaging the threaded wall 10, and said memberengages the groove mentoned and applies sufficient force on thecompressible gasket 9, to establish an airtight relationship with theinner member.

The bore 12 of the member 11 is diametrically reduced at 13 to provideat the junction of the bore with the larger threaded bore, adownwardly-facin annular shoulder 14, providing a seat4 or a rubber orequivalent diaphragm 15. A gasket 16 engages the diaphragm and a.threaded ring 17 engaging the threaded bore of the ofiter member engagesthe gasket and through the same clamps the diaphragm upon the saidshoulder 14 with an air-tight relation. The upper end of the bore 13 isdiametrically enlarged to rovide an u wardly-facingshoulder 18 an acircum erential circular wall 19.

A circular plate 20 swivelled in member 11, rests on shoulder 18 and isheld in place by rolling or bending the wall 19 inward upon it as shown,the enga ement being such that the plate is left free or turningmovement. Said late is formed with a depending boss 21 having a centralpassave 22 which opens through the upper end of the plate, andprojecting upward from the plate is a pair of ears const1tuting abifurcated boss 23 provided with a cross pin 24.

A lever 25 is pivoted eccentrically on pin 24 in the bifurcated boss 23,and its cam or pivoted end 26 is adapted normally to lie 1n contact withor close proximity to the upper end of a reciprocatory plunger stem 27fitting in passage 22, the lower end of the said stem having a head 28for abutment against the lower end of boss 21 and for similar engagementwith the upper side of the dia hragm l5. The lever 25 is preferably ofrig t angle form so that when its pivoted arm is in horizontal or normalposition as mentioned the other or handle arm shall extend inwardly atone side of the container. The handle arm is equipped with a permanentflexible extension 29 terminating in a loop 30 for most convenientengagement by a finger or thumb of the operator, and the loop 1sequipped with spring clasp 3l for engagement with va button 32projecting exteriorly from the body 1. The button and clasp in effectconstitute an ordinary sna fastener such as found on gloves and thelilie, the arrangement being such that the clasp member can be snap edonto the button by pressure and can be isengaged from the button by apull on the loop 30.

A compressed air cartridge 32 of a conventional type and therefore notdetailed, fits snugly in the container, with one end engaging or inclose proximity to the inner face of the diaphragm and the other endresting on the puncturing pin 7 the last-named end being closed by ametalhc cap or closure 33 susceptible of being readily punctured by thepin 7 when the cartridge is for'ced downward by the plunger, through theinstrumentality of the cam lever, it being noted that when the cam leveris swung upward it forces the plunger downward and this movement throughthe intermediacy of the diaphragm, imparts corresponding movement to thecartridge and effects the puncturing of the latter so that thecompressed air shall escape therefrom through the perforated plug 6 ofthe container and instantly elect inflation of the body 1. In thisconnection it will'be noted that when the lever is secured in normal orinoperative position by the snap fastener there is no chance ofaccidentally puncturing the cartridge but that when one appliessuflicient pull on the loop to unfasten the flexible extension from body1, the disengagement will be so sudden and extended that the cam leverwill unavoidably eiect the puncture of the cartridge.

It will be understood that the cartridge shall be of capacity-to sup'plysufficient air to sustain the wearer of the device in the water for anindefinite period of time. The body l'of the device will preferably beof such form and arrangement as not to interfere with the wearerswimming to land or to! a boat or other su port, but it will beunderstood that the bo y must be strong, durable and of such characterthat it shall be impenetrable b air or water and thus serve as a most ecient device for insuring the safety of a wearer in the water.

It will be noted that under repeated replacements of the capmember onthe inner member of the container, the gasket 9 may become packed enoughto permit the cap member to screw a somewhat greater distance upon theinner member of the container, and it will therefore be apparent that ifthe lever did not bear a swivelled relation to the cap member, thisvariation in the position of the cap member might dispose the lever insuch a position that it could not readily be fastened in place by thesnap fastener elements. With the lever swivelled, the degree of turnirgof the cap on the other member need not e ect relative displacement ofthe fastener elements, thou h if this occurred, the lever could be readiy swung back to such a position that its clasp member can be readilyengaged with the button member, and the loop 30 therefore occupy areadily accessible position when the emergency arises for inflation ofthe body 1.

In Figure 4, a modification of the cap construction is shown. In thiscase the ca member 11 terminates in a reduced externa ly threaded upperend 34 having a central opening 35 to accommodate the boss 21 of theswivelled plate 22, the plate resting on the upper end of the member,and to secure the plate in position without interfering with rota-V tionthereof, a ring 36 is screwed upon the upper threaded end 34 and isprovided with an inturned flange 37 overlapping plate 22. In other wordsthe construction shown by Figure 4 as compared with the construction ofFigure 1, shows a cap member composed of two sections, the upper onebeing readily removable to permit of the removal of the swivelled plate.

From the above description, it will be apparent that I have produced aninflating device for safety belts and the like which embodies tliefeatures of advantage set forth as desirable in the 1statement of theobjects of the invention, and while I have shown the preferredembodiments of the invention, it will be apparent that it is susceptibleof various changes in the detailed construction and arrangement of theparts without departing from the spirit and scope of the appendedclaims.

I claim:

1. An inflating device, comprising a compressed fluid cartridgecontainerhaving a cartridge puncturing means, a pair of openings and a diaphragmpartitioning the container between said openings into inner and outernon-communicating compartments, and manually-operable means for applyingpres sure on the outer side of the diaphragm for effecting inwardmovement thereof, to cause the same to impart similar movement to acartridge Within the inner compartment of the container and engagingsaid puncturing means to effect the punctuiing of the cartridge; saidmanually-operable meansl bearing a swivelled relation to the container.

2. An inflating device, comprising a compressed fluid ,cartridgecontainer, having a cartridge puncturing means, a pair of openings and adiaphragm partitioning the container betweensaid openings into inner andouter non-communicating compartments, a reciprocatory plunger in theouter compartment, and means swivelled on the. container,

` for imparting inward movement to the plunger to cause the same topress inwardly on the diaphragm to effect corresponding movement of acartridge in the inner compartment of the container until the cartridgeis punctured by the puncturing means.

3. The combination with a flexible hollow air-tight body, of aninflating device comprising a compressed fluid cartridge containersecured in the inflatable body with an air-tight relationi andconsisting of an inner member communicating with the interior of saidinflatable body, and an outer member bearing a threaded and air-tightrelation to the inner member and having an opening at its ou'ter end, aflexible diaphragm partitioning the cartridge container between saidopenings into inner and outer noncommunieating compartments, apuncturing device in the inner compartment for engaging a cartridgetherein, and manually-operable means swivelled on the outer member ofthe container and adapted for imparting inward movement to the diaphragmto cause the saine to press the cartridge against the puncturing deviceuntil punctured by the latter.

4. The combination with a flexible hollow air-tight body, of aninflating device comprising a compressed fluid cartridge containersecured in the inflatable body with an air-tight relation, andconsisting of' an inner member communicating with the interior of saidinflatable body, and an outer member bearing a threaded air-tightrelation to the inner member and having an opening at its outer end, aflexible diaphragm partitioning the cartridge container between saidopenings into inner and outer non-communicating compartments, apuncturing device in the inner compartment for engaging a cartridgetherein, manuallyoperab e means swivelled on the outermember of thecontainer and adapted for imparting inward movement to the dia hragm tocause the same to press the cartri ge against the puxicturing deviceuntil punctured by the latter, and a flexible extension for themanually-operable means for detachable engagement with the inflatablebody to prevent accidental operation of the manually-operable means.

5. A compressed fluid 'cartridge container, having a cartridgepuncturing means, a pair of openings and a diaphragm partitioning thecontainer between said openings into inner and outer non-communicatingcompartments, a plunger in the outer compartment for effecting inwardmovement of the diaphragm and of a cartridge engaging the puncturingdevice and disposed at the opposite side o the diaphragm from theplunger, and lever-actuated means swivelled on the container andoperable to cause the plunger to eii'ect movement of the diaphragm andcartridge until the latter is punctured by the puncturing device.

6. A compressed fluid cartridge container,

having a cartridge puncturing means, a pair of openings and a diaphragmpartitioning the container into inner and outer non-communicatingcompartments, a plunger in the outer compartment forv effecting inwardmovement of the diaphragm and of a cartridge engaging the puncturingdevice and disposed at the opposite side of the diaphragm from theplunger, and lever-actuated means operable to cause the plunger toeffect movement of the diaphragm and cartridge until the latter ispunctured by the puneturing device; said means and lever bearing a.swivelled relation relative to the container and the cartridge therein.

7. A compressed fluid cartridge container, having a cartridge puncturingmeans, a pair of openings and a diaphragm partitioning the containerinto inner .and outer non-communicating compartments, a plunger in theouter compartment, a plate swivelled on the container and held againstinward or outward movement relative thereto and constituting a guide forthe plunger, and means carried by the swivelled plate and operable tocause the plunger to apply pressure through the diaphragm on thecartridge and the latter to press against and be punctured by thepuncturing device.

. of openings an 8. A compressed fluid cartridge container, having acartrid e puncturing means,a pair a. diaphragm the container betweensaid openings into inner and outer non-communicating compartments, aplunger in the outer compartment, a plate mounted on and swivelled tothe container and having a guide perforation slid- 'ingly receiving theplunger, and an external boss, and a cam lever pivoted on the boss andengageable with the plunger to im art inward movement thereto and to t ediaphragm and a cartridge in the inner compartment of the container andresting on said puncturing means.

In testimony whereof I affix m PETER si ature. AR US.

partitioning 1

